Journey of a Spartan: Halo
by Shadow Spartan
Summary: Spartan 013 finds another Halo. The Covenant are there and plan to activate it. It is up to Spartan 013 and a handful of marines to stop them. Rated 'R' for blood, gore, violence, and language.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The Covenant. A union of alien species set on achieving one thing: making the human race extinct. The Grunts. A small pig-like species known for their cowardice in battle. The Jackals. A bird-like species, they carry a plasma shield and are known for holding their enemies off with their shields as the other members of the Covenant attack. The Elites. Tall human shaped aliens with a mouth formed similarly to a crab's. Each is equipped with an energy shield surrounding their bodies at all times. They are known for their efficiency in taking down their opponents with much ferocity. The Hunters. Large cat-like creatures, they have impenetrate blue armor. Six large spikes jut out of their backs. This species is known for killing anything and everything that gets in their way, though under the armor their bodies are very fragile. The Brutes. A gorilla-like alien, it carries a grenade launcher and is stronger than even a hunter. Many humans consider this species a myth.

The Vendetta IV has landed on a Covenant controlled planet. Marines have begun a full-fledged invasion of the planet. One Spartan has been defrosted from cryo-sleep and has joined the marines in their fight. The Spartans were a super soldier trained to master every weapon and vehicle, human and Covenant alike. Most marines died in training of trying to become a Spartan. Then all that made it were cryogenically frozen until they were needed. The Covenant however killed almost all of these super soldiers by taking over human ships and killing them in their sleep.

The Master Chief, another Spartan who has made a name for himself by destroying a Forerunner built installation called Halo. It is a ring world meant to wipe galaxies clean of sentient life. There is more than one of these Halos however. The humans are set on destroying the Halos before the Covenant use it against the them.

The Spartan has touched down near a Covenant structure with a few marines. The resistance outside is heavy and the Spartan looses all of his comrades. He proceeds on his own into the Covenant facility.


	2. First Strike

**First Strike**

All the marines had been killed. The Spartan clone was on his own. He held his assault rifle in front of him as he entered the covenant facility. The doors hissed open and he stepped inside. He walked down the hallway it opened into. There was no sign of covenant forces. His mission was to kill a general elite that was supposedly stationed here at the moment.

He turned the corner and almost pulled the trigger. A grunt sat curled in a ball sleeping. He whacked the side of the grunt's head. It let out a small whimper as it fell over. He then began walking down a ramp that led further into the structure. There was another door. It opened into what looked like a control room. An elite stood at one of the computers, four grunts slept around the room, and a jackal stood right in front of him.  
It quickly rolled backward and raised its shield. The Spartan fired at the shield, doing no damage. The elite turned around and started firing his plasma rifle. The grunts woke up and began running around the room in a panic.

"He'll kill us all!" Yelled a grunt.

The Spartan fired and killed two grunts. He then rolled forward and knocked the jackal's head back with the butt end of his rifle. He then stood and shot at the elite. It ducked and stepped to the side while firing wildly. The Spartan killed another grunt while the other escaped out the door screaming for help.

The elite's shield finally collapsed and the Spartan held the trigger until the rest of his clip was wasted. He reloaded and proceeded toward the door. Six grunts awaited him on the other side. All of them quivering with fear.

"There he is!" Said a grunt.

The Spartan grinned under his helmet and mowed them all to the ground. Blue blood stained the walls of the hallway as he stepped over the bodies. The next door opened into a much larger room.

A grunt stood at guard. He screamed and started firing his plasma pistol. Two jackals came to his aid. As well as three other grunts and an elite. The first grunt was down. He then fired and killed two of the other grunts. The other retreated back toward the elite. He then threw a fragmentation grenade at the two jackals. It exploded and sent them flying through the air.

The elite ran toward him and shot its plasma rifle. The Spartan fired and hit the elite. It then hid behind a pillar. The Spartan reloaded and blasted away the grunt. He then walked around to the other side of the pillar and whacked the elite in the back of the neck. He stood in triumph. Then another door opened. An elite stepped out followed by two hunters.

"Wort, wort, wort!" yelled the elite.

The Spartan held the trigger and wasted a whole clip on one of the hunters. It sprung forward and hit him with its massive shield. His visor cracked and he dropped his weapon as he flew into a wall. His shield collapsed. He stood up and pulled out his pistol. The other hunter charged up his large weapon and fired.

The Spartan jumped as the blast exploded behind him. He stood and saw one of the hunters running toward him. It raised its shield and swung down. The Spartan sidestepped out of the way then went behind it and shot it in its exposed back area. It fell to the ground with a large groan. His shield began to recharge. The other fired another blast. It went over his head and exploded into the wall to the side of him. Then the Spartan clone got an idea.

The General elite began shooting at him. He ran around the sides of the room while the hunter shot at him. Then the Spartan fired two shots at the elite to stun it. He then ran in front of it. The hunter fired again. He moved out of the way and the ball of plasma energy blew the elite to pieces. The Spartan then ran up and pistol-whipped the hunter in the head. It jerked up and grabbed its head leaving its orange stomach exposed. One shot and the hunter fell to the ground. Then he calmly tucked his weapon away.

"Sergeant Green do you read me? This is the Colonel. Over." The Spartan said into his comlink in his helmet.

"I read you Colonel. Go ahead." The Sergeant replied.

"The Elite is dead, but I think they may have called for reinforcements. I need you to get Alpha Squadron down here for a surprise attack. Over."

"Roger that . . . Alpha Squadron is topside and ready to go. We'll be there in a few sir. Over and out."

The Spartan began his accent to the surface where he would meet his approaching legion marines.


	3. Round Two

**Round Two**

"Are the snipers ready Sergeant Green?" Asked the Spartan.

"Yes sir." He answered.

"Is Alpha Squadron in their positions and ready to go?"

"Yes Colonel."

"And the tanks?"

"Both are holding in the cove sir." Replied the Sergeant.

"Good, the Covenant reinforcements will be here at any moment. Get to your station and hold Alpha Squadron until you see the signal."

"Yes sir." The Sergeant said turning and jogging away.

The Spartan entered the Covenant facility he had recently just exited. He stood with his rifle and small company of marines. Then after a moment, he heard them. The Covenant drop ships were closing in. He listened as the grunts, jackals, elites, and hunters filed off and scurried about trying to secure the area.

Outside the Sergeant watched as the fifteen or so drop ships landed, let their troops off, and then left to make room for the next. Two mortar tanks were dismounted from the drop ships as well as five ghosts. Then he saw something he had not expected. Two banshees circled high above. Surely, they would see the snipers hiding along the cliff edge of the cliff that overlooked the structure's entrance.

He was right. The banshees swooped down and fired upon the snipers. They shot back, but their numbers were cut in half. They began retreating as the banshees came around for another pass. The plasma blasts pelted the rest of the men to the ground.

The door of the facility opened and the Spartan put a bullet through the grunt's head. The other Covenant turned in surprise and fired their plasma weapons. The Spartan and marines filed out of the structure and fired back. Covenant were everywhere.

"That's it. Go, go, go!" Yelled Green.

Marines climbed out of bushes and out from behind boulders and trees. They rushed the Covenant forces killing all that were on the edge of the group. The Covenant as surprised as they were wasted no time in firing back at the attackers.

Two scorpion tanks came roaring up behind the mortar tanks. They fired their large cannons. Both mortar tanks went up in flame and smoke. Then three warthogs came up behind the tanks. They rode up around the ghosts guns blazing. The ghosts fired back. Two of the ghosts exploded. One explosion sent another flipping over. The elite fell out and tried to scurry out of the way but a warthog's tire crushed the blue creature without trouble.

One warthog's tire blew out due to plasma fire. They were headed straight for a wall. The driver tried to turn, but the tire had other plans. The vehicle crashed into the wall. The driver and passenger flew through the windshield while the gunner was sent tumbling over the gun and landing hard in the front seats. Another ghost then came up and fired at the warthog. The gas tank exploded and the screams of the marines reached the Spartan's ears.

His muzzle flashed as an elite toppled to the ground. A grunt came up behind him and started shooting wildly. He turned around and the butt end of his assault rifle met the grunt's face. Its whole skull seemed to crunch inward as it let out its last scream.

"Yeah! Eat it!" Yelled a marine.

"Get up so I can kill you again!" Said another.

The Spartan threw a plasma grenade at a grunt. It landed on its back. The grunt's arms were immediately flung into the air and he began running around in a panic. The explosion sent blood spraying on all those nearby. An elite and a jackal were also taken in the blast. The Spartan knelt down and mutilated an elite's body with a shower of assault rifle shots.

The banshees came down and shot at one of the tanks. Two green plasma missiles were fired. The tank shot back. The cannon's shot soared past the banshees and exploded on the cliff edge. The two missiles hit and the massive tank was turned to dust. The other tank swerved its big gun and fired. The shot missed and hit the top of the structure. Chunks of stone and rock fell on the soldiers below. The Spartan watched as one big boulder fell and crushed two marines, a grunt, two elites, and a hunter.

As the Spartan drowned in distraction, a hunter came up and whacked him with his shield. The Spartan's shield collapsed. He flew back and landed against an elite. His assault rifle lay just out of his reach. He quickly picked up a plasma pistol and charged it up. The hunter fired a large plasma blast that barely missed the Spartan's head. It exploded behind him killing marines and fellow Covenant as well. The hunter didn't care, he wanted the Spartan _dead_. That's all that mattered. The Spartan's shield began to recharge as he fired his shot. It hit the hunter's deep blue chest plate. It grunted, but didn't falter. It charged him. He powered up another shot and fired. The hunter blocked it with its enormous shield. The plasma shot barley slowed its movement. It was gaining momentum. The Spartan used all the extra strength his harsh but worthy training had given him and jumped clear over the hunter's head.

He landed and turned around to face his enemy. He took the pistol and slammed it into the large orange spot the hunter's armor didn't cover. It groaned and turned around. The Spartan stepped back. The hunter raised its shield. Then a single bullet tore through its back and came out the front. Orange blood splattered on the Spartan's visor. The hunter fell over and the Sergeant was standing behind it with his pistol drawn.

"Get the grenadiers to take out those banshees Sergeant!" Ordered the Spartan.

"Yes sir."

The Spartan turned around and fired. The plasma shot pelted the grunt and it fell over motionless. He then dropped the plasma pistol and picked up his assault rifle. The sixty round clip was empty. He reloaded. A marine fell dead at his feet. He looked up and fired at the elite. The bullets hit and its shield sent the shots ricocheting off in every direction. The elite pulled out a plasma grenade and threw it. The Spartan sidestepped and the grenade stuck to the floor behind him.

He then rushed the elite as the steaming blue ball exploded. He cracked the elite in the face. It stumbled back with no serious damage. It came back and tried to hit the Spartan but he dodged the elite's futile attack. The elite then took a punch to the stomach. The force of the Spartan's punch was so powerful the elite threw up. He then took his rifle and pressed it against the elite's forehead and pulled the trigger. Brains flew out of the back of its head as it toppled over.

There were only a few Covenant left. The banshees came swooping in shooting at the marines that were dropping the Covenant ground forces like flies. Marines fell screaming in pain.

"Ah, the burn!" A marine screamed as he fell to the ground.

Four marines holding grenade launchers fired at the banshees. Three of the missiles glided past their targets. The other destroyed one. The ball of flame crashed down killing more marines. The other banshee made a swift U-turn and tried to escape. The last scorpion tank shot its big cannon and blew the second banshee to bits.

The drivers and passengers of the warthogs had gotten out and joined the rest of the ground troops while the gunners stayed and continued blast the Covenant away with their large guns.

Some of the remaining Covenant had gathered in a corner. Two elites were blocked by four jackals using their shields to block them from the marines' constant fire. The elites would pop up for split seconds to fire at their enemies while the jackals shot consistently. The Spartan took a frag grenade and threw it into the group. Both the elites stopped and looked down at the little object that had invaded their space. The grenade exploded and the bodies of the jackals were sent flailing through the air.

All that were left were ten elites, three hunters, two jackals and two grunts. On the marine's side, there were twenty-five marines, three of the four grenadiers, two warthogs and the scorpion tank. Two hunters fired their big plasma weapons at the tank. Both shots hit and exploded. An elite flipped the last ghost back over and jumped inside. The gunners immediately began focusing their fire on the purple vehicle. Plasma grenades were thrown and marines were thrust into the air. The Spartan came up behind a hunter that was beating on the dead corpse of a marine and pressed the barrel of the assault rifle right up to the hunter's back and fired.

The hunter fell over and landed face first. He reloaded. Two elites had focus their fire at him. He shot back. One elite fell to the ground. The other rolled to the side and threw a grenade. The Spartan caught it and threw it back. It exploded in the elite's face. A grunt came up firing at the man that would surely put him in his grave.

"Die devil!" The grunt yelled.

The Spartan pumped the grunt full of lead, spraying blood all over the ground. He then turned around and shot down a jackal that was trying to run away. He then shot an elite that was rushing him. He went to reload, but he was out of ammo. He dropped his assault rifle and picked up a shotgun that was lying on the ground at his feet. He cocked it and blew the elite's body to shreds.

"Come on kids, time to take your medicine." Yelled a marine.

There was only one hunter left and he was killing marines like nothing. The ghost exploded in a fiery ball. The Spartan ran up and blasted away the last grunt on his way toward the hunter.

"Kill those elites over there. I'll kill this bastard." Ordered the Spartan to the remaining ten marines.

The Spartan fired his shotgun at the massive creature. All the shots of the gun bounced off the hunter's thick armor. The hunter swung up and the Spartan dodged out of the way. The shotgun barrel blew a chunk out of the hunter's side. There was only one elite left and the marines showed no mercy as they filled him with slugs.

Another victory had been won by the humans.


	4. The Colonel's End?

**The Colonel's End?**

"Are you sure you want to do this sir?" Asked Sergeant Green.

"Of Course." The Spartan answered without hesitation. "The Covenant have been crushed at every battle that has taken place on this world. This fight will be no different. Besides we need to get the coordinates of the next Halo."

"If you say so Colonel."

The drop ship soared through the air. The Pelican's turbine engines pushed it as fast as possible. There were ten marines on board not including the Spartan. Another drop ship followed behind with ten more marines that were itching for a fight.

The planet below was a desert. The facility they were coming closer to at every moment was where the Covenant had sealed information about another Halo. The Spartan had never actually seen a Halo, but he had heard stories. Stories of another Spartan named Master Chief, and how he destroyed the first Halo.

He planned on destroying one himself. Though the Spartan had told his fellow marines this mission would be easy just like the others, in truth this was going to be one of the hardest battles of their lives. The only Covenant stationed there were elites and hunters. Though he had heard a rumor of an unseen Covenant force that was more powerful than even ten hunters put together.

"We're coming up on the Covenant installation." Said the pilot. "When you locate the map, radio in and I'll come pick you up."

The drop ship lowered to the ground and the Spartan hopped off with the marines close behind. As soon as the troops were on the ground the pelican took off. The sun shone brightly and the dust of the desert slid across the landscape. The Sergeant motioned for the first squad to move up. The crouched marines inched their way to the door.

When one of the marines was about six feet from it, the door hissed and slid open. An elite sprung out and grabbed the marine by his neck and snapped it. It then threw the dead marine to the ground his body kicking up dust as it landed. More elites came pouring out after.

"Man down." Said a fellow marine.

"Show time!" Yelled another pulling the trigger of his shotgun.

The Spartan fired at one of the elites. It had no chance as its shield wore away and the bullets tore into its body. The marines formed a half circle around the entrance and blasted their enemies to the ground as they came out. This continued for several seconds. The Spartan took a frag grenade and tossed it into the building. The ground shook and smoke came misting out of the door.

The marines stood for a minute with their weapons pointed at the door. The blackness from the doorway made seeing inside the structure impossible. A faint thundering of footsteps could be heard. As the marines waited they grew louder and louder until it sound as if the creatures were right in front of the doorway.

Then a hunter emerged from the darkness. Immediately the marines fired at the enormous beast. The bullets ricocheted off in every direction. The hunter charged forward and knocked two marines to the ground. Then out came more hunters and elites.

"This is suicide man!" Yelled a marine.

The Spartan took one of the hunters down then turned and cracked an elite in the back of the head with the butt end of his rifle. He could hear the crunch of the elite's skull cracking. A hunter fired its gun and it exploded killing three more marines.

Green took the muzzle of his gun and placed it firmly on a hunter's head and pulled the trigger. He then fired the rest of his clip, taking down an elite.

"Soaring Angel!" The Sergeant yelled into his comlink.

"Yes sergeant?"

"We need immediate dust off! Over!"

"Roger that Sergeant, we're on our way. Over and out."

A marine swung his flamethrower around and burnt an elite to a crisp. He then tried frying a hunter, but it took its big shield and beat the man to the ground. The Spartan took a plasma grenade and threw it on a hunters back. It didn't know until it was too late. Orange blood spewed on the nearby soldiers.

"Is that all you got?" Taunted a marine.

The hunter then knocked the marine over and stomped on his head. The Sergeant came up behind it and blasted a hole through the hunter's stomach. His rifle clicked and he threw it aside. He then drew up an shotgun one of the fallen marines had dropped. He blew two elites to the ground in one shot.

The Spartan picked up another assault rifle and shot in two directions. He dropped an elite. Then sprayed blood out of a hunter's side as the bullets tore into its body. Green and the Spartan stood back to back as the last soldiers in the battle.

The sergeant threw a frag grenade at a hunter. It landed at its feet and exploded. It and an elite fell. The Spartan pointed both guns at a hunter that was charging him. His arms shook as the slugs exited the muzzle and entered the hunters orange body.

The Sergeant ran out of ammo and pulled out his pistol and fired. Brains blasted out of the back of the elite's head. Then a hunter came up from the side of him. He turned and shot, but missed. The hunter knocked the Spartan over and lifted the  
Sergeant up into the air. The hunter then took the Sergeant and stabbed his body through one of the dead hunter's spikes. Green spit blood out and raised his gun one last time. He pulled the trigger and blew a chunk out of the side of the hunter's head.

The Spartan dropped his gun and drew his pistol. An elite came and hit him with its plasma rifle. His shield went up and he could fell its thick liquid texture running down his body. He stumbled back and fired three shots onto the elite's chest. He then dodged a hunter's attack and shot it in the back. It fell over with a groan and kicked dust up as it landed with a thump on the desert floor.

He fired some more shots into an pair of elites. His pistol was out of ammo. He dropped it and pulled out something he thought he'd never have to use, a combat knife. A hunter charged him. The Spartan jumped up and landed on its back. He grabbed hold of one of the spikes while he reached around with the other hand and slit the beast's throat. He rode it to the ground. He stood and jabbed it into an elite's chest and pulled down. Purple blood oozed out as it screamed and fell backwards.

There was only a hunter left standing. As it charged up its weapon the Spartan threw the knife and it stabbed the hunter in the neck. He stood alone on the battlefield for only a few seconds. Until a large gorilla looking creature stepped out of the facility's entrance. It was larger than a hunter. It ran out of the doorway. It was faster than an elite.

Its muscles were ripped and covered in bulging veins.

It let out war cry then ran toward the Spartan. He rolled to the side and drew up a shotgun. He pulled trigger. The bullets slammed into the creature's chest. It came over and punched him in the face. He fell on his side. It then picked him up by the throat.  
He tried to suck in air, but nothing came. His vision began to darken. He head butt the beast in the forehead. His visor stabbed into his foe's skull. It dropped him and he fell on his stomach.

The covenant roared and grabbed its head. The Spartan rolled away and pulled his knife from the hunter's neck. The creature started toward him. His hand gripped the weapon hard. He thrust his hand forward. The creature grabbed his forearm. His gauntlet bent under the pressure. His arm felt as it were about to break in two. His hand loosened and the knife fell from his grasp. The covenant grabbed it before it hit the ground.

"Oh, hell." Said the Spartan.

The creature took the five-inch blade and jammed it into the Spartan's chest plate. He felt the very tip of the knife touch his skin. He punched the creature in the cheek. It took its fist and slammed it into the Spartan's face shattering his visor. Glass cut his face as he fell hard on his back. He looked into the beast's eyes. Its fiery brown eyes, full of hate. Hate of the human race. Then his vision slipped into darkness.


	5. The Spartan's Return

**The Spartan's Return**

The Spartan opened his eyes. The bright light of the desert sun blinded him. The wind had blown the sand to half bury him. For a second he wondered why it was so bright. Then he remembered his visor had been shattered by the covenant creature. The sand blew across the battlefield. He lifted his head and dirt fell off his dark green helmet.

He raised his arms out of the ground. He stood and lifted his helmet off. Glass fell to the ground. He had a terrible headache. Bodies of fallen marines and covenant lay scattered across the battlefield unmoving and lifeless. He ran a sandy glove through his thick dark black frayed hair.

He grabbed the knife that was still lodged in his chest plate and pulled it out. He let it fall from his hand onto the sandy ground. His eyes scanned the rotting corpses of his comrades and enemies. His gaze stopped on Green. His body hung impaled on the spikes of a hunter. One spike was stabbed through his neck and shoulder area and the other was sticking through his leg. The blood from his wounds was dried and crusting.

The Spartan felt the ground shake lightly. He looked off into the distance and could see the drop ship heading toward him. He turned back toward the Sergeant. He was breathing! The Spartan's mouth dropped in disbelief. He dropped his helmet and grabbed the Sergeant's leg. He pulled it off the spike. Green let out a cry of pain. The Spartan then pulled him off the other spike. There was another cry of pain.

The drop ship was right above them. The Spartan supported the Sergeant with one arm as he picked up his helmet with the other.

"Clear the drop zone." He heard from in his helmet. The transmission was fuzzy and full of static.

The drop ship lowered and two marines jumped off and covered the Spartan as he drug Green on board. The marines hopped back on and the drop ship took off over the desert landscape.

"We need to get this man to an infirmary at once pilot." The Spartan said.

"Don't worry sir a group of marines have set up camp not to far from here." The female pilot responded.

The Spartan watched as the land below went by. He had to go back. He needed to get that map. He must destroy that Halo. He wanted ultimate glory.

"This is Black Raven to desert post do you read?" The pilot said.

"I read Black Raven. Go ahead."

"I'm gonna need a medic standing by. We have a badly injured soldier here. Over."

"Roger that Black Raven. Will have medic standing by. Over and out."

The Spartan looked down at the Sergeant. He was lying on the floor of the drop ship. His eyes were closed and his head moved back and forth with the turbulence of the aircraft. He then took his helmet and examined it. There were pieces of glass still stuck and on one side the vents were bent.

He set it on the seat next to him. Then he noticed something about the marine's armor. It was black instead of the traditional gray. He thought for a moment. Then he figured it out. They were part of the Black Ops. A rare site among marines. He could use this to his advantage.

He could have a couple of these squads go back and waste the covenant at that base. Then he could go in and take that map.

He was going to do it.

The drop ship lowered and the back end swung around and the Spartan got his first look at the base. Tents were scattered across the desert floor. Most had walls to protect from the dust. The ship landed and two medics grabbed Green and put him on a stretcher. They then pushed him off to the infirmary.

The Spartan hopped off and was greeted by a tall young marine.

"Welcome to Desert Post sir, I am Lieutenant Jackson." The marine said.

"Thank you Lieutenant." The Spartan said shaking the man's hand. "Now listen, that Covenant base has a map in it. A map that is vital to the survival of the human race. I'm going to get straight to the point. I need five squads of marines to go and take that base."

"Five squads! But sir that's fifty men."

"I know. Believe me, your going to need that many. How soon can you get those squads ready?"

"One hour."

"Do it." The Spartan ordered.

"Yes, sir." The Lieutenant replied. "By the way do need your helmet fixed? We have a very good blacksmith on the premises."

"Yes that would be nice." The Spartan answered putting the helmet in the extended palm of the Lieutenant.

The marine then jogged away. The Spartan began walking around the base observing the other marines scurrying about their tasks.

"Sir the marines have left the base a few minutes ago." The Lieutenant informed the Spartan.

"Good." The Spartan replied turning around.

"If you want to watch their progress, follow me to the control tent."

"Lead the way Lieutenant."

The Lieutenant led the Spartan through the many tents until they came to one that was filled with computers. Screens lined the walls of the tent and marines sat at each control panel that was visible.

"The marines are just arriving at the base Lieutenant Jackson." Said a marine at one of the panels.

The Spartan scanned the screens and found that some of them were live images from the marine's visual recorders. The Spartan watched as the five squads made their way toward the door.

"Okay privates move it up." Black Ops Sergeant Freeman ordered.

One of the squads moved up against the wall. The door opened and the first squad filed in. Then in moved the second squad. Followed by the third fourth and the fifth. The hallway was dark. The marines turned on the flashlights on their assault rifles. A ramp led down into the facility.

"First squad go." The Sergeant commanded.

The ten marines slowly walked down the ramp. At the bottom there was another long hallway. The first squad motioned for the second to follow. They stayed in a scatter pattern as they made their way to the end of the hall. It turned and had yet another long hallway. They kept going. The hallway opened up as they walked farther in and it had tall pillars lining the walls. One marine saw a bright yellow flash from behind one of the pillars.

He split off from the group and walked toward the tall concrete structure. He leaned around it to find an elite with plasma sword standing and waiting. It let out a war cry and sliced the marine in two. His scream did not go unnoticed as marines came over to investigate. The elite sprung out from behind the pillar and killed two more marines.

The yellow blade glowed eerily in the darkness. The room lit up with the flashes of gunfire. One marine threw a frag grenade at the beast. It exploded blowing the elite's leg off. The other marines gathered around and shot it until it was dead.

Then as the first squad was moving forward again, two hunters slid out of the darkness and fired their enormous weapons. The marines flew in all directions with their screams echoing down the hall. The second squad moved up and fired their assault rifles. The bullets had no effect on the monsters as they came up and began to beat the marines black and blue. One marine rolled around the back of one hunter and fired a full clip into its back. It fell over with a groan. The other hunter turned around and knocked the marine to the floor.

The other marines shot into the hunter's back. The four remaining men from the second squad lead the way. The hallway came to a door. It opened and the four marines stepped in and laid down cover for the third squad. It was a large room. The corners were dark and a light mist covered the floor. The third squad secured the room and let the fourth squad move on toward the next door.

When it opened an elite smacked the first marine to the ground.

"Kill that S.O.B.!" Said a marine pulling the trigger.

The elite fired his needler at the marine. He yelled out in pain as the purple spikes stabbed into him. They then exploded all at once. The marine's body blew to pieces soiling the floor with blood and guts.

"There's another one." Said a marine pointing toward the doorway.

More elites piled out and began cutting down the marines.

"I'll take you all on!" Yelled a marine as he threw a grenade.

The explosion lit up the room and the Sergeant could see an elite fly through the air. He fired and dropped and elite. He then turned around and saw more elites coming from behind them. He took a grenade and tossed it at the elites. Another flash lit up the room along with the flashes of the bullets exiting the Sergeant's muzzle.

"I'm hit!" a marine screamed.

The marines shot and fired their guns until all the elites lay motionless on the ground.

"Work of art people." Freeman said.

There was only twenty-two marines left standing. They had lost over half of their men. The Sergeant split the men into two new squads. The first squad moved through the door. The second followed close behind. The next room was large and had a holo map in the middle. There were two pillars along each wall. There was a glass floor that glowed a dark blue.

The squads moved up and went toward the center of the room. Before the marines could make it to the map two hunters came out of the darkness. They shot at the marines killing the first squad easily. The sergeant threw a frag grenade at one of the hunters. It exploded and killed it. The second hunter ran toward a marine and knocked him to the floor. Another marine took out a pistol and blew a hole through the hunter's stomach.

"Alright. Let's get this map and get the hell out of here." Sergeant Freeman said.

He made his way to the holo map's controls. Then was knocked to the ground by an enormous furry creature that resembled a gorilla. The other marines fired at their attacker. The Sergeant crawled away and hid behind a pillar while he listened to his men die.

"Lieutenant, get me a squad of marines. I'm going down there myself." The Spartan ordered.

"Yes, sir. Right away." Jackson said turning toward Major Dern who was standing behind him.

The Spartan grabbed an assault rifle that was lying against a table and made his way toward the drop ship out in the landing zone. When he arrived at the ship the marines were already on board waiting. The Lieutenant was standing near the vessel holding his helmet. The Spartan grabbed it from him and slipped it onto his head.

"Good luck, sir." The Lieutenant said.

"I'm a Spartan, give the luck to the marines." He replied.

The ship lifted higher into the air and took off toward the Covenant facility.

The Spartan jumped off the pelican and onto the desert floor. The bodies of the other marines still lay on the ground. He moved toward the door, with the ten marines close behind him. It opened and they slipped inside. The Spartan led the way down the ramp as he and the marines turned on their flashlights.

He walked down the hallway and turned and walked down the second hallway where they stepped over the bodies of marines. They then entered the large room. Three hunters awaited them. They fired their guns killing six marines. The Spartan threw a grenade at the hunter in the middle. It exploded and the hunter fell over as a steaming corpse. One marine fired his shotgun at point blank range blowing the hunter's side clean off. The last hunter fired his gun again. Three marines went down. The hunter then smacked the Spartan sending him sliding across the floor. His shield collapsed. The last marine fired his assault rifle as the hunter came and crushed his skull.

The Spartan got up and ran toward the hunter. He slid on his feet until he was right in front of the blue cat like creature. He pressed the barrel of his assault rifle to the head of the hunter and pulled the trigger. His shield recharged as he reloaded.

The door to the map room opened and the Spartan stepped inside. The room was filled with bodies. There was only one sound and that was the whimpering of the Sergeant. The Spartan walked to the center of the room and looked around.

Freeman came out from behind the pillar and crawled across the glass floor until he was about six feet from the Spartan.

"You can't stop him. You'll die just like the others! All of them gone! He'll get you! He's four times as strong as a hunter! He's invincible!" Screamed the Sergeant.

The Spartan watched as the large creature came out of the darkness and grabbed the Sergeant by the neck and snapped it. His limp body then toppled to the glass floor with a clunk. The Spartan fired his full clip into the beast's chest. It was slowed none. It punched the Spartan in the face sending him flying over the control panel of the map. He pulled out his pistol and fired at the creature's face. The shot missed. The covenant knocked the gun out of his hand and punched him in the chest.

Air exited his lungs. He rolled, grabbed the assault rifle, stood, and cracked the creature in the chin. It grabbed the weapon and broke it in half. It then pushed the Spartan up against a pillar and tried to punch him in the face. He ducked and the creature's fist broke a chunk out of the concrete. It then knocked him on the ground.

The creature once again picked him up by his neck. The Spartan pulled a plasma grenade out. The covenant roared in his face and as it did so the Spartan shoved the plasma grenade down its throat. It dropped him and he scurried away. It let out a small whimper right before his body blew to chunks of meat. The Spartan wiped a piece of liver from his visor as he stood at the controls for the map.

His lust for glory was about to be satisfied.


	6. Halo

**Halo**

"I believe that creature is called a brute Colonel." Said Admiral Loran.

"Well this 'brute' is long dead now sir." Said the Spartan.

The human capital ship was tearing through hyperspace toward the Halo. Vendetta VI the ship was called. The Spartan stood on the bridge with the Admiral and captain. The stars flew past the view port in long streams of light.

"We're coming up on the Halo Admiral." Said Captain Kenton turning from one of the control panels.

"Bring us out of hyperspace." The Admiral ordered.

"Yes sir." Replied the captain.

The ship slowed and the stars stopped and laid still in the blackness of space. The halo was in orbit of another planet. It was a magnificent site to see.

"Sir! We've got trouble at mark five!" Said a marine at one of the controls.

"What is it?" Asked the Admiral.

"Two Covenant cruisers! They're closing in at attack speed! I think they've been waiting for us the whole time sir!"

"I don't believe we can win this fight." Said the A.I. to the Admiral.

"Alright, Sheeda your going with the Spartan." The Admiral said. Before the A.I. could object, the admiral pulled her out of the holo projector and handed the chip to the Spartan.

"Protect her at all costs."

"Yes sir." Replied the Spartan.

The ship shook violently. Red lights lit up and began blinking wildly. A siren sounded throughout the capital ship.

"The covenant have destroyed one of our engines!" Yelled a marine.

"Convert all power to the remaining engine!" Ordered Kenton.

"Yes sir!"

The ship shook again.

"Take Sheeda and get to the halo's control room. Drop ships are standing by for evacuation. If you don't make it, get to an escape pod as soon as possible."

"Yes Admiral." The Spartan said putting the A.I. in his helmet.

"Sent out he fighters!" Said the Admiral.

The Spartan then turned and jogged out of the bridge, but not before grabbing his assault rifle. He walked out into the hall and almost ran into a squad of marines that were running by. He ran past them and turned down another hall. A door exploded as he past it and he was knocked against the wall. He stood himself upright and continued down the hall.

The docking hanger was only a short ways away. The Spartan walked through the armory where he ditched his assault rifle and picked up a shotgun and some shells. He came to another hallway with escape pods lining one wall.

There were covenant shields posted around one pod entrance. Some grunts hid behind them. The Spartan threw a frag grenade at them. It broke the shield and killed the grunts. As he walked past the pod an elite ran out of it. The Spartan fired one shot and took out its shield. He fired a second time letting the elite fall to the ground.

The Spartan turned around a corner and walked through the doors. Marines rushed about loading on to the ships. Warthogs and Scorpion Tanks were being loaded onto the back of the Pelicans. The Spartan let a warthog drive by then ran toward one of the drop ships. He hopped on. The loading zone of the pelican closed as it began to take off toward the surface of the halo.

"Let's roll!" Screamed a marine.

The Spartan could hear the Vendetta VI's docking bay open. The pelican rumbled and slowly exited out into space. The Spartan open the door to the cockpit and looked out of the view port. Another pelican exploded after being hit by a covenant gun. The drop ship shook with the force of the explosion.

"Sheeda, transfer the coordinates of the Silent Cartographer to the pelican's destination display screen." The Spartan said.

"Sure." She answered.

The screen flashed in the cockpit.

"That's where we need to go pilot." The Spartan told him.

"I don't know if I'll be able to land. That area is thick with forest." The pilot responded.

"Just do it."

"Yes sir."

The pelican began to shake and rumble. The Spartan felt the room get a little hot. He watched as the surface of the halo drew closer. Then the lights turned red and began flashing.

"Hold on people! We've got air brake problems!"

The Spartan closed the door and sat back in his seat. The ship shook harder and its speed accelerated. Then the ship was hit by something, shook violently, and sent the Spartan flying across to the other side of the ship. His head hit the wall and he fell on the floor.

"We've been hit!" The pilot said through the speaker.

"Oh, man." Said a marine.

"Hold on this could be a rough landing!" Said the pilot.

The Spartan sat back on a seat and held onto it. The pelican shook hard and the Spartan could hear the sound of branches snapping. Then the ship stopped completely and suddenly. The Spartan and the marines flew toward the front of the ship. The pilots could be heard as they let out their last screams. The Colonel's head hit the wall and he went unconscious.


	7. The Silent Cartographer

**The Silent Cartographer**

The Spartan awoke to find the other marines lying around talking about what to do. He stood from his resting place, hopped out of the pelican, and joined them at the circle they had created.

The pelican's nose was stuck in the ground and one of its wings had been completely stripped off. One of the jet on the back had also been blown off. Trees were fallen and broken around the wreckage. The front still steamed from heat. Through the hole the pelican made he could see that the landscape went up into a mountain. He could see the facility that was built ages ago by the Forerunner dug into the side of the rockery.

"We should call for evac and get out of here." Suggested one marine.

"No, I think we should stay put." Argued another.

"What, and wait for the Covenant to slit our throats while we're sleeping?"

"I think we should go through the woods and attack that facility up there." Said the Spartan.

"That's suicide. We don't even know how many Covenant are in there." Said a marine.

"He's right. And even if we did we probably wouldn't be able to take them all." Added another.

"Then we should call for reinforcements." Another marine suggested.

"No. That'll take to long. Besides I'm the ranking officer here as well as the strongest of you wimps, so I order you to follow me and attack that base." The Spartan said.

"I don't care who you are out in the real world, out here your rank means nothing." Said a marine bravely.

The other marines cringed at the coming events.

"You will follow my orders Private!" The Spartan yelled.

"Over my dead b-"

The Spartan raised his shotgun and blew the marine to the ground. The other marines stared in shock at the shredded corpse of their comrade.

"Anyone else want to disobey my orders?" The Spartan said cocking the shotgun.

The marines followed close behind as the Spartan crept toward the door of the facility. It opened and the Spartan stepped inside. He knelt down and laid down cover as the marines came in after him. At the end of the hallway was a second door. Two marines went a couple feet ahead and laid more cover. Two more marines went a few more feet ahead, stopped, and knelt down. The Spartan and another marine came up from the back and stopped in front of the door. The marine stood and kept his assault rifle pointed at the gate that would open up a fight.

The Spartan moved closer to the door and it opened automatically. A grunt jumped and turned around.

"He's here!" Yelled the grunt.

The Spartan cocked his shotgun and pulled the trigger. The barrel blew into the air and the grunt screamed as the pellets entered his body.

He cocked it again. He then walked into the large room. Its ceiling was high above their heads. The room was wide and long. At the far end was a platform elevator. It was suspended at the floors height by some force, the marines nor the Spartan knew of.

There was only one problem stopping them from getting to the elevator. The room was filled with grunts. The marines filed in and formed a line parallel to the wall. The grunts began shooting their various weaponry at the human tank and his comrades.

"Fire at will!" Said the Spartan.

The sound of gunfire erupted and within seconds intertwined with the grunts' screams. The Spartan threw a frag grenade into the bulk of the group. A large blast of fire and smoke exploded and created a hole in the grunts defensive positions. More grunts from the back rallied to fill the empty space. The Spartan then held his shotgun firmly and began taking two or three grunts down with each shot he fired.

The marines' constant fire was not only thinning the grunts numbers, but also driving them back. The grunts started moving back far enough that the Colonel's shotgun was almost ineffective. Five purple needles penetrated the Spartan's chest. He grimaced. They exploded and his yellow shield became visible for a few seconds. He fired back and the grunt fell to the ground with a coat of blue blood covering its body.

He then stood from his knelt position and began walking forward while shoving some shells into his gun. The marines moved with him. They stayed in a perfect line and pushed the grunts back against the back wall. The marines then showered them with slugs from their automatics. A marine threw a frag grenade. It killed four more grunts. There were only three left. In an act of desperation, a grunt threw a plasma grenade wildly.

It flew well over the marines' heads and exploded behind them. The marines shot the grunts to the ground.

"We showed 'em." Said a marine.

"That'll put the fear of God in 'em." Said another.

The Spartan began shoving more shells into his shotgun.

"Okay let's move on and kick some Covenant tail." The Spartan said.

"That was quite a show." Said Sheeda.

"Well this Spartan never fails to disappoint."

"I'm sure."

The Spartan and the marines piled onto the elevator. He pressed a button on the holo controls and the elevator began its decent. The elevator lowered enough that they could see the large group of jackals scurrying about.

"Jackals," said the Spartan. "Use as many grenades as you can. Try not to waste ammo on their shields."

"You got it, sir." Said a marine.

The jackals started firing at them but their blasts hit the bottom of the platform. A marine took a frag grenade out and pulled the pin. He threw it down and it hit a jackal in the head. It fell to the floor with purple blood spilling out of its skull.

The grenade blew and jackals were sent flying through the air. The Spartan took a plasma grenade and tossed it down. It hit the shield of one and attached to the back of another. The elevator reached the floor. The jackal began running around with its arms flailing around in the air. The grenade exploded in a blue mist and completely destroyed the jackal's body. The marines hopped off the elevator and threw more frag grenades all at once. Eight explosions sounded throughout the room.

A marine fired his assault rife and killed a jackal. The Spartan fired and dropped two more of the covenant. He fired again killing another. A fully charged plasma pistol blast struck a marine and dropped him.

"Bastard!" Yelled another.

The marine threw one more frag grenade. Five more jackals were blown to pieces. The Spartan threw a plasma grenade and it hit the ground, bounced, and attached to a jackals arm. It tried furiously to get it off, but had no luck. It exploded and killed more of the jackals.

A marine rolled forward and sprung up into a kneeling position. His assault rifle buckled against his shoulder as he took out more of his enemy. Another took two frag grenades and threw them at the same time. The group was nine jackals less.

The Spartan ran up and brought the butt end of his shotgun down on the head of a jackal, he then pulled the trigger and filled another with slugs. One jackal charged its plasma pistol up to full and shot it as he muttered something in its own tongue. The blast hit the Spartan taking out his shield. He fired back and killed the bird-like creature.

After a moment, his shield began to recharge. He turned and knocked another jackal to the ground. He fired again killing two more. A marine threw grenade and it exploded in a ball of fire. The jackals fell and their shield disappeared.

The Spartan threw another frag grenade and killed the last of the group. The next elevator was at the far end of the room. The Spartan and marines got on and began going farther into the structure. The elevator lowered and the group got a look at their next challenge.

Three plasma turrents lined both walls and grunts were station at each one. Four jackals stood in the middle with two elites in the back. The Spartan took a plasma grenade and threw it at a turrent. It attached and exploded. The turrent became rubble and the grunt became a charred corpse.

The other grunts turned the plasma turrents at their attackers and started firing. Two marines fell to the ground screaming. Another marine threw a frag grenade at the group of jackals and killed three of them. One more marine shot the other one down. The Spartan rushed the second turrent and grabbed the grunt by the neck.

"Noooo!" Screamed the grunt.

The Spartan threw him out of the turrent onto the floor were a marine shot the helpless alien. The Colonel hopped into the turrent and fired at another. One exploded. Another plasma turrent in the back fired at the Spartan. His shields went up and he could feel himself slipping off the seat.

The elites came shooting their plasma rifles at the marines. They shot back. The elite's shields held off the bullets for only a short while. One marine toppled to the ground. Their shields went down and the last four marines blasted them to the floor.

The Spartan hopped out of the turrent just as it exploded. His shield collapsed as he hit the ground face first. He stood and cocked his shotgun. He fired and a grunt went limp in the middle of firing. A marine got a plasma grenade to attach to a grunt's head. It screamed as it jumped out of the turrent.

"Get it off! Get it off!" The grunt yelled running toward the last grunt in a turrent.

The grenade exploded and killed both grunts. The turrent blew into the air and crashed to the ground. The Spartan led the marines to the next elevator that would take them into the fourth level of the structure.

The next room was filled with elites. As soon as he could the Spartan fired his shotgun at the swarming beasts. The elevator came to the bottom and the marines shot in every direction. The marines' assault rifles took more to kill the elites than the Spartan's shotgun.

He pulled the trigger and knocked out two elites' shields. He fired again and sprayed blood on the floor. One elite ran toward him and hit him with its plasma rifle. His shield protected him. He pressed the barrel of his weapon against the elite's chest and fired. Its body was almost ripped in two.

One marine cried out as needler shots entered his body. They exploded and he fell to the floor motionless. The Spartan fired his last shot and began reloading. He rolled to the side, dodging plasma shots. He loaded the twelfth shot and cocked the gun. He dropped two elites with one shot.

Another marine fell.

The Spartan took a frag grenade and threw it at some elites nearby. It exploded and took out their shields. He fired three shots and killed the five creatures. He then shot again and killed another.

"Want some more?" Taunted a marine as an elite dropped dead at his feet.

Another came and tried to hit him. He leaned backward and put some bullets into its head. He fell onto his back with the elite landing next to him. He pulled out the empty clip and reloaded. After wiping the purple blood from his cheek he got into a kneeling position and resumed fire.

The Spartan threw a plasma grenade and it attached to an elite's leg. It began kicking wildly while screaming something foreign. The grenade blew and the elite became just another part of the gore. He fired his shotgun and took out an elite's shield. He then cracked the elite in the head with the butt end of his weapon. The elite's skull cracked and it toppled over backwards.

A frag grenade exploded in the middle of the dwindling group of Covenant. The Spartan pumped a few more shots into a couple of the elites. One elite slammed his needler into the side of a marine's head. The spikes stabbed into his skull as he fell over with his assault rifle still blasting a few rounds.

The Spartan fired two shots and killed the elite. The other marine threw a frag grenade and killed two more. The Spartan then pulled the trigger again and blasted away the last of their adversaries.

"Woo! Took 'em to school!" Said the marine.

"Yeah I thought I saw some of them wearing skirts." Said the Spartan.

"Let's not get too exited. If you forgot we still haven't found the Silent Cartographer." Sheeda interrupted. "My analysis indicates that there are still two more floors."

"Of course I haven't forgotten. I'm just trying to have some fun in a time where this marine knows he's going to die." He replied.

"We'll your really optimistic as I can see."

"Look Sheeda, I'm here to destroy the Halo or whatever, grab a little glory along the way, and I don't need you telling me how to go about doing it."

"Or whatever? You are very self-centered! This is a matter of saving the human race not a mission on satisfying your lust for glory! Now can we please move on?"

"Why certainly." The Spartan said smartly.

The Spartan and the last marine got onto the elevator at the other end of the room and started down. The first color the two soldiers saw was blue. Lots of blue. The marine raised his assault rifle to shoot but the Spartan stopped him. The marine looked at the Spartan's golden visor in disbelief and desperation.

"Don't shoot." He whispered.

"What? Why?" The marine replied.

"Keep your voice down!" He yelled while also whispering. "They're asleep."

The hunters stayed still as the elevator reached the floor.

"What should we do then?" The marine asked in a whisper.

"We try to make it to the other end of the room without waking any of them up."

"Alright, let's go." The marine whispered enthusiastically.

The Spartan and the marine began weaving through the bodies of the enormous group of monsters. Some times they would have to duck under spikes of two hunters whose backs were together. Or one time the marine had to crawl between a hunter's legs.

The Spartan reached the elevator and stopped to wait for the marine. He was stuck in between two hunters' spikes. He turned himself sideways and inched his way through. He made it and sighed in relief. He began walking again and turned to look back at the dreadful predicament. He then walked right into a hunter.

It awoke and looked around. The marine quickly ran around behind it. The Spartan ducked down behind another. The hunter's eyes scanned left and right. It turned and hit the marine with one of its spikes. The marine stumbled forward and knocked into another one. The first hunter turned around and spotted him. He fell on the floor and rolled toward the elevator. The second hunter woke from its sleep and saw the marine as well. It let out deep grunt. Other hunters around it woke up.

"Come on!" Yelled the Spartan getting onto the elevator platform.

The marine got to his feet and ran onto the elevator as well. The sound of the Spartan's voice echoed in the room. All the hunters were awake. The Spartan hit the button and the elevator started down. The green lights from the hunters' large weapons glowed bright.

The Spartan was eye level with the floor.

"Duck!" he yelled and grabbed the marine as he fell to the platform floor.

"Where?" Asked the marine in confusion.

The hunters fired and the large green plasma missiles hit behind them on the elevator shaft wall. The Spartan and the marine got on their knees and stayed that way until they were out of range of the hunters' guns.

They stood and held their weapons firm. The Spartan shoved more shells into his shotgun. The ride down was longer than the others but ended soon enough. The elevator stopped at a dark hallway. At the end of it was a room with the same dark blue glow as the other map room. A pillar was in the middle of the opening to the room.

The marine stood fearful at the shadowy walkway.

"That's it. The Silent Cartographer. Be careful, my motion tracker is picking up something." Sheeda said quietly.

"Alright let's go." The Spartan said slowly walking forward.

"I got a bad feeling about this." The marine said following close behind.

The Spartan's hands gripped the handle of the shotgun tightly. He kept his gaze ahead of him. When he was about halfway down the hall his eyes caught something run across the hall about fifteen feet in front of him. He stopped. It was big and blurry. It was almost like he looked through another being.

"What is it sir?" Asked the marine quietly.

"Did you see that?" The Spartan said.

"No, I didn't see anything amigo."

The blurry being moved again.

"There did you see that?"

"Si, I did. What is it?"

"I don't know. Let's find out." The Spartan replied walking forward again.

They walked about ten feet when the marine felt as is something were breathing on the back of his neck. He turned around and saw nothing. He kept walking. Then a war cry that sounded like an elite roared from behind him.

The Spartan and the marine turned around. Suddenly the marine was lifted into the air by what looked like nothing. Flashes of a plasma rifle lit up the hallway and the marine fell to the ground with nothing more than a dying moan. The Spartan then realized what it was; an elite wearing active camouflage.

The Spartan pulled the trigger of his shotgun and the barrel jerked up. The elite's camo disappeared and the Spartan watched as the elite fell to the ground. He then heard more footsteps from behind him. He turned around and pulled the trigger. The elite became visible as it moaned and toppled over.

The Spartan then began walking forward. He saw a blur and fired. The elite fell to the ground. Then he saw a glowing yellow blade. He cocked and fired. The elite became visible for only a second. Its gold armor shone in the glow of the plasma blade.

It disappeared and the blade rose in the air. The Spartan jumped back as the sword swung at him. He fired again and the blade disappeared while the elite blasted backward and became visible. The Spartan walked around the pillar and across the glass floor to the Silent Cartographer's controls.

The map appeared on the holo projector and showed various structures around Halo.

"It looks like the Control Room is located there." Sheeda said.

"Okay we got what we came for now let's get out of here."

"Agreed, but how do you suppose we get past all those hunters up there?" She asked.

"I kill 'em. That's how."

"Great your stupid too."

"Think what you will. I can handle them." He replied calmly.

The elevator rose closer to the up coming fight. The Spartan's shotgun was full of all twelve shells. He held a frag grenade in his right hand. The elevator reached the top and he stood in front of the many hunters.

"How many Sheeda?" He asked.

"Thirty." She replied.

"Piece of cake."

"Idiot."

The Spartan took the frag grenade and threw it. It exploded and killed one of the hunters. He hopped off of the elevator and blew a chunk out of the side of a hunter. It fell with a large crash. Some of the hunters charged their weapons and fired. He jumped into the air and left the explosion behind him.

He landed right in the middle of his opponents. He fired and blew a hole through one's stomach then turned and blasted another's head to bits. One tried to hit him and he stepped to the side and shot into its back.

He threw another grenade and it exploded under one of the hunters, launching it into the air. He shot again killing another. A hunter shot its gun. He ducked and the blast killed two others behind him.

He pulled the trigger and dropped the blue tank. Another came up from behind him and knocked him to the ground. His shield caused him to slide across the floor. He slid between a hunters legs and stopped right behind it. He pulled the trigger and it nearly fell on his legs. Another hunter swung at him. He fired and got to one knee. It crashed to the ground. Another charged. The barrel exploded again. The slugs slammed into the hunter's stomach. It fell face first and slid a couple of feet.

A hunter came from his right and swung. The Spartan fell flat and rolled. The large arm cut over his head. He got on his knee again and fired into the hunter's back. He stood and threw a plasma grenade onto the back of a hunter. It exploded and the hunter toppled over as a burnt corpse.

Half the hunters were dead.

A hunter swung up at him and missed. He cocked and fired a shower of bullets into its stomach. Another hunter took its place. He shot again but the bullets ricocheted off of its blue armor. He cocked and fired again. The hunter groaned and fell on its back.

His gun was out of ammo. He took it and swung the butt end like a bat and hit a hunter across the face. He dropped the gun and threw another grenade. It exploded and a hunter fell to the ground with a groan. He pulled out his pistol and fired into the stomach of one of his foes. One swung at him. He stepped to the side and went around it and shot. Orange blood sprayed onto the floor.

He turned around and dropped another one. Another hunter swung at him and missed. He pistol-whipped it in the head. It jerked up and grabbed its head leaving its orange stomach exposed. He blew a hole in it and went for another. He fired and missed. He shot again and the bullet bounced off its large shield. He shot once more and clipped its side. It groaned and kept coming. Another blast then tore through its stomach.

A hunter came and hit him. He flew back against a wall. His shields were completely gone and he dropped his pistol. It swung again and he moved to the left. Its enormous shield smashed into the wall then swung to the side and hit him in the head.

He fell on his back and watched the hunter raise its arm again. Orange blood splattered onto his visor and the hunter fell beside him.

"Let's go marines, let's go!"

Lieutenant Jackson stood with his pistol extended out in front of him. He had a company of marines with him. They began firing their weapons at the five remaining hunters.

"Thought you could use some help sir." Jackson said.

"Good job, Lieutenant." The Spartan said picking up his pistol.

One of the hunters was running around in a ball of flame. The Spartan took his weapon and shot it to the ground. A marine blasted the last hunter down with his shotgun.

"We have evac standing by, sir."

"Good. Are you ready for a real fight Lieutenant?" The Spartan asked.

"The Blackrocks are always ready for a fight sir!" The Lieutenant said saluting.

"Well then, let's begin our assault on the control room."


	8. Assalt on the Control Room

**Assault on the Control Room**

"This is as far as I can go." Said the pilot of the Black Raven pelican. "You'll have to walk to the control room from here."

The pelican lowered to the jungle floor and hovered there for the marines to jump off.

"Stand by for evac just in case anything goes wrong." Lieutenant Jackson ordered.

"Yes sir." Replied the pilot.

The Spartan hopped off onto the marshy ground. The floor of the jungle was covered in a thick mist and the trees above were so thick and overgrown that they blocked out any hint of sunlight.

"Okay, there should be an entrance to an installation about two hundred meters from our position." Sheeda said. "I'll mark it with a nav point."

An orange triangle appeared on his visor. It had the number 213 above it to mark how many meters away they were. He began walking through the fog and foliage.

"Move it up Smith." Ordered Jackson.

The marine ran in front of the Spartan holding his shotgun out in front of him.

"Brown, go."

The marine kept his flamethrower ready as he followed the first marine.

"Jones your next."

He lowered his rocket propelled grenade launcher and ran after Brown.

"Mathews, go on up."

The marine held his sniper rifle firmly as he went through the fog after his comrade.

"Anderson, you know what to do."

"Yes sir." The marine held his dual pistols out as he followed.

The Spartan stopped and waited. The Lieutenant and the other four marines halted behind him. After a second Smith called back and told the Lieutenant to come take a look.

The Spartan followed the Lieutenant over to where Smith and the other marines were gathered. They were all crouched down behind a large fern off to the side of a cliff. The Spartan knelt down beside him.

"One plasma turrent, two jackals on watch, two grunts, and an elite." Smith pointed out toward the end of the short canyon.

"Alright, Jones I want you to take out that turrent. Then I want Anderson to kill those jackals. Then once their down, Brown and Smith can go in and take care of the rest of them. Mathews, provide cover. No go."

"You got it, Lieutenant." Said Jones.

The marine jumped out of the bushes and fired a grenade at the turrent. The rocket hit directly under and sent it blasting into the air. Anderson then came up and fired at the jackals before they could raise their shields. Brown and Smith ran down toward the remaining covenant. Brown fried the two grunts and Smith fired at the elite and took out its shield. He fired a second time and dropped his opponent.

"Well done Lieutenant." Said the Spartan.

"Thank you sir."

The marines formed up again and began walking. Then after about ten minutes, they reached the installation's entrance.

"Let's go marines!" Yelled Jackson.

The Spartan led the way as they entered a door and went down the hallway. It led into a circular room with a round hallway going around it. The center had a deep trench going down the middle and it had two bridges going across. The covenant had set up portable plasma shields around the other end.

The Spartan's shotgun jerked into the air and a grunt fell to the ground. Smith came in after him and dropped another. Mathews fired a shot and killed an elite with one shot of his sniper rifle.

Jackson threw a frag grenade and killed two jackals at the other end of the room. An elite came up and fired his needler at one of the other marines. The marine rolled to the side and dodged the shots. He then got up and fired his assault rifle until the elite lay motionless on the ground.

Brown ran across the bridge and caught a grunt on fire. It ran a few feet and collapsed. He then pulled and held the trigger again, frying an elite.

"Clear!" Smith said.

"Brown?" Asked Lieutenant Jackson.

"Clear!" Brown replied.

"You monkeys almost looked like soldiers out there." Jackson said.

"We should keep moving." Said the Spartan.

"Yes sir. You heard the Colonel, let's go!"

The marines regrouped and went through the door at the other end of the room. They walked through the hallway and came to another room of the same design. An elite was walking in front of the doorway. It spotted the marines and let off a few round of its plasma rifle.

The Spartan fired his shotgun and took out its shields. Smith fired a second shot and killed it. Four jackals came running out of the center of the room from behind a wall. Mathews took out the first one. The tracer shot went through the jackal and hit the wall behind it.

The Spartan fired, but none of the bullets penetrated the jackal's shield. Anderson came up and began pulling both triggers on his pistols. One jackal fell. Then came Jones. He fired a grenade at the two remaining jackals. The rocket hit at their feet and sent them flying through the air.

"I'll go around this way," The Spartan said pointing down the hall to his left he then pointed to his right. "And you go around that way."

"You got it sir. Okay marines, follow me!" The lieutenant ordered.

The Spartan went down the left hall and his comrades went down the right. A platform ran above him where a grunt was waiting with a plasma pistol. The Spartan blasted off of the landing with his shotgun.

He walked a few more feet when two jackals appeared. He threw a plasma grenade. It landed in between them. One rolled to the side and the other turned around and jumped. The grenade exploded and lit up the walls with a blue flash. Both jackals were killed.

The Spartan came around and saw the next door. He watched as Smith unloaded a shell into the elite's chest.

"See, they're not so tough." Said Smith putting more shells into his shotgun.

The Spartan did the same. They walked through the hallway and out the other door. They found themselves atop a long bridge. In front of the door was a wall. To the sides of them were plasma turrents. Two grunts slept on the floor next to them. The Spartan walked over and cracked one in the head. The Lieutenant took care of the other one.

The bridge had two strips of glass going down the middle of each side until it reached the second wall. Ramps were on both sides of the bridge leading down to a bottom floor.

"Stay here." The Spartan ordered.

"Yes sir." Replied the Lieutenant.

The bridge was held in between two steep cliffs. The jungle lay far below. If he were to fall, he wouldn't be getting back up. He walked across the glass floor. His tank-like feet made a clunking noise every time he stepped.

He crouched and inched forward. He made it to the wall and poked his head up for a peek. A jackal was doing a patrol route and was heading toward him. He ducked back down and kept an eye on the motion tracker. The jackal stopped at the wall then turned around and began walking the other way. The Spartan stood and came up behind the jackal. He then took his shotgun and smashed the creature's skull.

Another jackal came around the second wall and saw the Spartan standing above his fallen comrade. The Spartan threw a plasma grenade on the jackal's chest. It ran around for a few seconds before the grenade exploded. He could then hear the cries of grunts and elites up ahead.

"Come on marines!" Shouted the Spartan motioning his hand for them to come.

"Let's move!" Said the Lieutenant coming out from behind the wall.

The marines followed Jackson to the Spartan's position. They then went around the second wall and found four grunts running toward them. Mathews took out two in one shot. Smith killed another and the Lieutenant got the last. Two jackals then came up from another set of ramps on either side of them. Anderson gunned one down easily enough with his pistols and the Spartan fired his shotgun at the other. The blasts hit its shield. It then rolled to the side and as it did so, he fired another shot to kill it.

They walked around the third wall and began firing at the two elites, four grunts, and one jackal. A marine threw a frag grenade at the jackal. The grenade exploded and the jackal's body was sent flying off the bridge. Jones came up and fired a grenade at the elites. One's shield went down and the other's was weakened. The Spartan fired and dropped the elite without a shield.

Brown ran past the remaining elite and shot a large flame at two of the grunts. They both fell to the ground with their bodies still aflame. Mathews shot and killed the remaining elite. The bullet tore through the right part of its chest causing it to violently spin to the ground. Anderson put a bullet through one of the grunt's heads. Another marine fired his assault rifle and blasted the last grunt to the ground.

The marines went around the fourth wall and through the door that led into the other cliff. They made it through the hallway and ended up in another circular room. Covenant awaited them.

"Wort, wort, wort!" Yelled an elite pointing to the group of humans.

"Get 'em marines!" Ordered the Lieutenant firing his assault rifle at the elite.

Two grunts came from the right hallway and three jackals came from the left hallway. Jones fired his grenade launcher and blew the jackals to bits. The Spartan rushed the elite and pressed his shotgun up against its chest. He fired and the elite fell over as a crippled corpse. A marine shot down one grunt with his assault rifle. Anderson dropped the other one.

Smith ran forward into the middle of the room. More grunts and jackals were on the other side. He gunned down a grunt, cocked his weapon and fired again. The pellets hit a jackal's shield and ricocheted in every direction. The Spartan came up next to Smith and threw a frag grenade.

It landed and bounced. It exploded and killed the jackal and a grunt. Jones fired another grenade and killed another jackal. Then an elite came out from behind a corner. The other marines came up to join the Spartan and Smith. All of the marine's weapons exploded and the elite dropped to the ground before it could even fire a shot.

The next door was in front of them. They walked down the hallway and it turned and came to another long hallway. Pillars lined the left side and a small dip went down to another piece of the walkway. A jackal stood at the far end. Jones fired his grenade launcher and blew the jackal back ten feet.

A grunt crawled out from behind a pillar and fired. A shot hit the Spartan and his shield went up in a yellow flash. It was a slippery feeling and he could feel it sliding down. He cocked and fired. The grunt sprayed blood as he fell to the floor. Smith and the Lieutenant went down onto the other side of the pillars.

The Spartan could see the muzzle flashes of their guns on the walls. An elite came out from the pillars and the Spartan fired. Its shield went down and Anderson filled the creature full of bullets from his pistols. The marines moved forward. A jackal went running and Mathews was there to shot it down.

"Whooohooo!" Yelled Mathews.

"Nice shot, man." Said a marine.

At the end of the hallway, Smith and Jackson came out and rejoined their comrades. The hallway turned again. They walked down that hallway and went through the door at the end. It was another circular room only there wasn't a left hallway. The Spartan began walking. The door was around the corner. There was a window to his left. He looked through and saw an elite. It spotted him and began firing its plasma rifle. The glass shattered and fell to the ground with a crash. The Spartan fired back. His shot did little damage. He ducked and rolled to his right. He stood and walked around the wall were the elite stood. He cocked and fired. The elite flinched as his shields went down. The Colonel cocked again and fired. The elite let out a cry and fell on its back.

The group of men came toward the door. It hissed and opened. Six grunts came rushing out with their weapons blasting. Two marines fell to the ground.

"You'll pay for that!" Yelled the Lieutenant.

The Spartan fired and blew a grunt over. Anderson shot down two more. A marine threw a grenade and killed the last three. The marines then went down the hall and found themselves at an elevator. All the marines hopped on and the Spartan pressed a button on the controls. It started down. After a few seconds the elevator reached the bottom. The marines walked through the door and down the hall to the next room.

It hissed and opened. The marines came in crouched low to the ground. There was a wide hall that went down in front of them and came to a T. The Spartan and the marines made their way to the end of the hall.

"We should go right." Sheeda said.

The Spartan led the marines through the room until they reached the next door. They walked though the hallway and out the door. They were back in the jungle. The Spartan began walking through the marsh with the marines close behind. His feet sunk in the mud as he walked. Suddenly a group of grunts came out of the bushes and killed a marine.

Smith fired and blasted one down. Anderson shot a few rounds and killed two more. The Spartan cocked and fired. The grunt screamed and fell over. Brown fried another with his flamethrower. The Lieutenant shot down the last one.

They began walking again and found themselves at the crash site of a pelican. There the marines found extra ammo and weapons. They also found the corpses of dead marines. The Spartan stocked up on more shotgun shells. Jones found more grenade shots and Brown got some more gas cartridges for his flamethrower.

They began walking again. Noises of the many wild creatures surrounded them. The path they walked on led around a cliff wall. The Spartan was almost around the corner.

"Stop." Sheeda said quickly and quietly. "Covenant forces detected up ahead. I would advise taking out the stationary guns first."

"Mathews." The Spartan addressed the sniper.

"Yes sir?" He replied.

"I need you to take out the plasma turrents around the corner. Then take out as many other covenant as you can."

"Will do sir."

The Spartan moved back toward the Lieutenant and his other men as the sniper knelt down at the end of the corner. He put the butt end of his gun firmly against his shoulder. His eye looked down the scope. He could barely make out the outline of the turrent. The objects suddenly lit up as he turned on the night vision.

He placed the small dot on the scope over the grunt's head. He fired and the barrel jerked up. The grunt's head blasted to the side and its body went limp hanging over the side of the turrent.

A jackal jumped and turned around. One of the other grunts in the other turrent heard the shot as well and turned the gun to face the other. Mathews took out the jackal. The grunt saw where the shot came from and swung the turrent in his direction. Before the grunt could fire, he put a bullet through its neck. The grunt grabbed its throat and tried to scream but nothing came out. Light blue blood ran down its chest as it suffocated to death.

Another jackal was walking doing a patrol. Mathews fired again. The bullet entered its back and blasted out of its chest. Blood sprayed on the inside of its shield before it disappeared. Mathews pulled out the empty clip and shoved in another four round chamber. He went to look down the scope again when an elite popped out from nowhere in front of him.

He looked up in shock. The elite let out a roar. Mathews pulled the trigger. The shot breezed past its head. It grabbed the barrel of the gun and pulled it back, then pushed it forward into Mathews' chest.

He let go of the weapon and fell back. The elite threw the weapon down. The Spartan stood from his knelt position and turned the corner. He pulled the trigger and unloaded a shell. The elite's shield collapsed and it stumbled back holding its chest with a soft groan. He fired again. The holes in the elite oozed blood as it fell over backward.

"That's all of them." Sheeda said.

"Yeah thanks for the heads up." Replied the Spartan.

Mathews stood and picked up his gun from the ground where it lay. The marines then followed the Spartan further into the jungle. They walked through the Covenant's small outpost. Past it was a man-made tunnel leading through a cliff. When the Spartan emerged from the other side, he found himself in a large clearing and staring down two mortar tanks. Both were facing the other away. Behind the tanks was a large structure with a walkway made zigzagging up to the top.

The Spartan could see two hunters on the first landing of the walkway. Up at the top the shield of a jackal shone brightly.

"Jones." Said the Spartan.

"Yes Colonel?" He answered.

"Can you take out those tanks?"

"Well, I could destroy the first one easily enough. Fire two shots and kaboom!

But then I'll have to reload and by then the other tank could turn around and blow us to bits. I guess sir that what I'm trying to say is its going to be close."

The Spartan stood and thought for a moment.

"Do it."

"Yes sir." Jones replied.

He lifted the heavy grenade launcher over his shoulder with his powerful arms. He knelt down and stayed that way for a few seconds. As soon as he fired the first two shots he flipped the hatch open and pulled the shells out. The grenades hit and the tank exploded in a fiery ball.

The other turned around. Jones was fumbling to get the next shells out of their package.

"Hurry up private!" Said Jackson.

"I'm going!"

"Hurry up!" He said again.

The viewport on the tank opened to fire. Mathews aimed and pulled the trigger. The shot blew the elite's head in half. The tank's viewport slammed down as its anti-grav repulsorlifts deactivated causing it to float to the ground.

"Nice shot Mathews." Said the Lieutenant.

"Thank you sir."

"Hey maybe if Jones here was a little bit quicker." Said Smith.

"I'd like to see you pick this thing up."

"Enough." Interrupted the Spartan. "Mathews, I want you to take out those two hunters."

"Easily done sir."

The skilled sniper aimed at the orange stomach of the first one and killed it easily. The second had its back faced to him, which made it even easier. He placed the little dot on its orange back and fired. The hunter fell to the ground.

"The control room should be just up there." Sheeda informed the Spartan.

"Good. We're almost there marines." The Spartan said.

"The sooner the better." Brown said.

The marines made it to the first landing and walked to the end to make a U-turn up to the second landing. Pieces of scrap were set up along the walls every several feet for what looked like cover.

As the marines were making their way up the ramp a jackal appeared at the top. Anderson fired one shot and hit it in the head. Its shield disappeared and its body flew back as if it had been hit by a warthog. Plasma blasts exited the muzzle of its plasma pistol as it went down with it. The Spartan and the marines made it to the second landing. A grunt came running up shooting at them.

Another grunt and a jackal were behind it. The Spartan fired his shotgun and blew the grunt to the ground. He cocked and fired again. The other grunt fell with a scream. He then threw a frag grenade at the jackal. It exploded and sent the jackal tumbling down to the first landing.

The walkway wrapped around and came to another U-turn, where two elites were waiting. The Lieutenant threw a frag grenade and it landed a few feet in front of them. They ran back before it exploded. They then ran forward again with their guns blazing. One marine fell. Jones fired his grenade launcher and took out the first one. Through the smoke came the other. Anderson was there to shoot it down with his dual pistols.

At the top of the ramp for the third landing was a stationary gun. The Spartan had Mathews kill the grunt. When they made it up to the third landing, they saw that it was a large platform with three plasma turrent lining the edge. Then in the middle, up against the cliff wall were two ramps that went up on either side to a higher platform. The platform had another ramp that led up to a small landing that overlooked the door in the cliff.

The turrent nearest them was empty. The second one was empty as well, but had a grunt near it. The third one had a grunt in it. Mathews shot and killed it while the Spartan hopped into the turrent. The other grunt tried getting into his, but the Spartan shot it to the ground. He then turned it slightly and dropped a jackal that had come down the ramp.

"We should keep moving." Sheeda said.

"Why of course Mrs. Holographic Artificial Intelligence System." The Spartan said smartly as he climbed out of the turrent. "Let's move."

"Yes sir." Said Smith.

"Okay sir." Anderson said.

The marines went up the ramp and stopped it front of the large door.

"Many Covenant detected behind this door." Sheeda said scanning the area for enemies.

"Mathews." The Spartan addressed him.

"Yes Colonel." The sniper replied.

"I want you to go up the ramp to that landing and when I open the door, shoot at anything you see." He ordered.

"Yes sir." Mathews replied heading up the ramp.

"In fact, Jones, go with him."

"Yes sir." He said following Mathews.

"Alright, the rest of you can just stand in front of the doorway and shoot like hell."

"Let's go marines. Killing Covenant is what we're best at so let's do it!" Jackson said.

"Time to kill some Covenant scum!" Yelled Smith.

"Yeah, I'm gonna fry 'em like the pigs they are!" Brown added.

"Heh, heh, make bacon." Said Anderson chucking.

The Spartan walked over to the door's controls. He pressed a button and he could hear the door's lock's rattling. He then quickly scurried over toward the Lieutenant. The door split in two and the walls on either side began to swallow up the two pieces. As the doors opened wider the Spartan could see what he was up against.

It was a large room. The ceiling was high and the walls were wide. The floor was made of glass. At the far end was another large door. There were four elites, six jackals, and twelve grunts. The first elite came at them. As soon as he was out of the door a sniper shot hit it. Its shield went down and it stopped to flinch. It looked up and another went through its head. Two grunts came out and Anderson shot one in the head. Brains landed on the ground before the body.

The Spartan shot the other. Three more grunts and a jackal came out. Jones fired and turned the jackal to dust. Brown ran forward and burnt two of the grunts black. The Lieutenant fired his assault rifle and took down the other.

"Move it up marines!" The Spartan ordered. "Mathews, Jones get down here!"

The group moved forward into the room. Smith fired his shotgun and dropped a grunt. An elite came up and smacked Anderson across the face with its plasma rifle. He spun around and fell on his stomach. Blood ran out of his mouth and onto the floor.

The Spartan fired and took out its shield. Brown then fried it with his flamethrower. The charred body fell to the glass floor with a clang. Another jackal ran up and hit the Spartan with a few shots. His shield went up and he glowed yellow for a few seconds. He fired back, but his shots bounced off of the jackal's blue shield. It rolled to the side leaving itself exposed for an attack. He shot again and killed the bird-like creature.

The door the far end opened and the other two elites walked through. The Lieutenant fired the rest of his clip and took down a grunt. He then reloaded. A jackal fired a fully charged plasma blast at Smith. He ducked and rolled to the side. He stood again and threw a frag grenade. It exploded ant killed it and a grunt.

Mathews and Jones came up behind them. Mathews took Anderson and drug him over to the wall and leaned him up against it. He then took his sleeve and wiped the blood off of Anderson's cheek.

Jones fired his grenade launcher and killed two more grunts. Jackson fired a few more rounds and murdered another. It fell to the ground with a scream.

"How's it feel to be dead!?" Jackson yelled putting a couple more shots into the dead body.

Brown set another grunt on fire and Smith killed the last one. The two elites were in the next room waiting for the attackers to come. Jones fired his grenade launcher at them. It flew in between them and exploded on the wall. Mathews came forward and shot at one of them, taking out its shields. He fired a second time and got it in the chest. The puncture hole wasn't big, but the exit hole blasted out a large amount of blood.

Jones fired again. The shot hit the elite directly in the chest. Its body was torn in two and its guts spilled on the floor.

"All Covenant forces in the facility have been eliminated. We should move on to the control room." Sheeda said. "It should be through the next two doors."

The Spartan opened the next door. It was the same as the first only there weren't any Covenant. He walked to the next control panel with the marines following. Mathews and Brown drug the unconscious Anderson along with. The door opened and he walked in. A long glass walkway led down to a map of the Halo, where the walkway split and circled the holographic image.

"Good job Lieutenant. We took the control room from the Covenant with seven men, not bad soldier, not bad at all." The Spartan said. "Now how about laying down some cover while I take Sheeda here to the controls."

"Anything sir, and thanks. I'll follow you anywhere. Even to the bowels of hell."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

The Lieutenant and the other marines laid down cover as the Spartan walked down to the controls for the map. He stopped it front of it and looked around a bit.

"Try there." Sheeda said.

The Spartan took Sheeda's card and placed it into the slot. Her hologram image appeared instantly. A large smile was spread across her face.

"How do you feel?" He asked her.

"Never been better." She answered. "You can't image the wealth of information. So much so fast."

"So how do we destroy this ring world?"

"Well let's see. It was built by the Forerunner, yes it was built as a fortress world to-"

"I don't care who it was built by or why. All I want to know is how to disable or destroy it." The Spartan interrupted.

"Fine. Closing the window. Give me a second to access. There seems to be three power transformers through out this area of the ring that amplify Halo's signal. If we can destroy these then anyone trying to use Halo will have to repair them. I can adjust your shield so that it will disrupt the transformers' energy waves with an EMP, rendering them useless. But you'll have to walk into the beam to trigger your shield's EMP. Then you'll be vulnerable to attack until they recharge." She said. "Otherwise, the only option of completely destroying this world is to blow up the Vendetta IV which will make a big enough explosion."

"Let's go with the power transformers." The Spartan said.

"Okay . . . wait!"

"What is it?"

"I'm accessing the Covenant Battle Net. They've unleashed an elite force of hunters and brutes! We'll need to hurry if we want to disable this thing." Sheeda answered.

"We'll then let's go!" The Spartan said pulling her holo card out and sticking her back into his helmet. He then began walking back down the glass walkway.

"Lieutenant, assemble your men."


	9. The Spartan's Solo

**The Spartan's Solo**

The Spartan and the six marines stood at the top platform of the control center. He looked down at the thick jungle and the eerie mist surrounding it.

"Okay the first pulse generator should be up there." Sheeda said.

A nav point appeared above him. He looked up and saw a platform jutting out of the canyon side.

"Well how the hell?" The Spartan replied.

"We'll need to commandeer a banshee."

"Where are we going to find one of those?"

"Right there." She answered.

A banshee lay motionless on the ground of the jungle's opening. Another was next to it a few feet away.

"Those two elites we killed on the way out must have came in with those." Sheeda said.

"Well let's go."

"You got it Colonel." Said the Lieutenant. "Come on marines let's move!"

"I've located the Vendetta IV's crash site. She put down about four hundred kilometers from our current position." Sheeda said.

"Lieutenant, I think you and your men should stay and call for evac. You should take your marines and help those remaining forces at the Vendetta's crash site."

"I would have followed you 'til the end Colonel." Jackson said.

"I must do this alone. Besides, now that the Covenant have called in those hunters and brutes the Vendetta IV's forces are going to need good marines like yours."

"It has been an honor to fight beside you. Good luck sir." The Lieutenant said saluting.

The Spartan saluted back.

"Good-bye Lieutenant."

The Spartan flew the banshee up into the air. He left the fog and foliage far below him. In a matter of moments, he parked the banshee on the platform and climbed out. He walked through the door and down the hallway. The next door opened and he walked into the circular room. The room in the middle had a bright blue light shining out. The nav point was stuck on the floor in front of him.

It disappeared as he walked over it. A large blue beam of energy came from the floor and shot into a receiver in the ceiling above.

"That's the pulse generator. It and two others amplify Halo's signal allowing it to fire deep into space. You should walk into the beam to trigger the EMP burst from your shield."

"Let's do it." The Spartan said stepping forward.

He stepped into the beam. The EMP went off and his shields went down. The ground shook beneath his feet. He stepped back and the beam vanished.

"That does it for the first generator. We should get out of here." Sheeda said.

"Agreed. Go ahead and put a nav point on the next one." He replied walking through the hallway.

He walked onto the platform outside just as the nav point appeared.

"The next pulse generator is through the next canyon." She said.

The Spartan hopped into the banshee and took off. He soared through the air, high above the thick mangled mess of the jungle. The canyon walls narrowed and turned. He went around the bend where it turned again. It then opened up into a large area. The platform lay ejaculated out of the canyon wall at the far end. The banshee's speed took him to the platform in a matter of seconds, where a grunt, jackal, and elite waited.

He fired and killed the grunt. The plasma blasts struck it to the ground. More hit the jackal and elite's shields. He swung the banshee around and came back for another pass. Plasma rifle rounds struck the banshee's front end, doing little damage. He fired a plasma missile. It hit in between the two Covenant soldiers and exploded. The jackal flew and hit the canyon wall then fell onto the platform, while the elite twirled in the air toward the jungle far below.

He landed the aircraft and got out. He then walked through the door and hallway until he was in the circular room.

"Warning: Covenant forces detected." Sheeda said.

He stood and waited. From the hallway to his left came three plasma blades with their owners invisible. Three more came from the right hallway also invisible. Two others then appeared in front of him. They were visible. Both elites' armor shone gold.

"This is bad." Sheeda said.

"I wish I had a super weapon." The Spartan replied.

"We should leave." Sheeda suggested.

"Wort, wort, wort!" Yelled an elite in front of him.

"Too late!" The Colonel said firing his shotgun. The elite's shield went up. The others from the sides came at him. Then the two in the front. All eight were coming at him. He fired again. The elite's shield held.

His left hand cocked the shotgun and his right hand fired. Its shield finally went down. He rolled back into the hallway as it swung at him. He fired again. The elite flinched but didn't stop. It jumped high above his head and came down with a swing. He leaned to the side to avoid being slashed. He shot once more and the elite finally fell.

"Great, now there's only seven." He said sarcastically.

He cocked and fired. The blasts hit and made one visible as it fell to the ground. The other visible one stood back while the one's wearing active camo attacked.

He fired again. Another fell. One swung at his head. He ducked and shot into its stomach. It fell over with a groan. He threw a plasma grenade. It stuck to one of the invisible elites. He ran backwards down the hall as he watched the steaming blue ball run around and explode. Two of the other elites died with it. He then fired at the remaining, visible elite. Its shield blocked the pellets easily. He fired again. Its shield didn't drop. It roared and ran at him.

He stood against the wall where the hallway turned. He cocked and fired his last shot. The elite's shield fell, but it still ran. It thrust the plasma sword forward. The Spartan ducked and the yellow blade sunk into the wall.

The Spartan took the butt end of the shotgun and jabbed it into the elite's stomach. It groaned and pulled the sword out of the wall. He stood and thrust the shotgun forward hitting the elite in the face. Its head jerked back and it fell against the wall. The Spartan hit it again in the stomach, but before he could retract, the elite grabbed it and cut it in half.

The Spartan dropped it and ducked as the elite swung at his head. He pulled out his pistol and fired. The bullet tore the elite's hand in two. The plasma sword disappeared. The elite screamed in pain. It then took its other hand and knocked the gun out of the Spartan's grasp. He punched the elite in the face. It came back and hit him in the stomach.

His shield went up. The ooze began sliding down his body. He made sure he got a lot of the shield on his fist. He then threw his fist through the elite's chest. His fist exited its back and hit the wall behind it. He pulled his arm away and the elite fell to the ground. His arm dripped with purple blood.

"That's um . . . " Sheeda said in disgust.

"Tasty, I know." The Spartan said jokingly. "Now we should get this pulse generator."

He went back into the room and the nav point disappeared. He walked into the beam and his shield let off the EMP. They went down and the room shook violently.

"There's only one left. I'll mark it with a nav point." Sheeda said.

"Two down, one to go." The Spartan picked up his pistol on the way out.

The Spartan landed the banshee on the jungle floor. He got out and began walking toward the door stuck in the canyon wall.

"Watch out Colonel, I'm picking up hunters ahead."

"They don't bother me." He said raising his pistol as he walked down the hall.

The door opened and two hunters stood with their backs facing him. He took his pistol and was about to fire when he saw five brutes standing in the middle room near the pulse generator. He stood and thought.

"What are you going to do?" Sheeda asked quietly.

He didn't answer immediately.

"I'm going to blow up the Vendetta IV." He said after a moment.

"What!?"

"I can't get to the last pulse generator without being killed. So I'm going to blow the Vendetta up. Besides, if I destroy the ship it will not only completely destroy Halo, but also kill an entire legion of the Covenant's best soldiers."

"That sound good but how do you plan on escaping?" She asked him.

"I'll just hop on a cruiser and fly away. Now we better go." The Colonel replied.

"Good idea. We can use the banshee to get to the Vendetta's crash site." Sheeda said.

The Spartan walked through the doorway and out into the jungle. He climbed into the banshee and took off through the trees.


	10. The Admiral

**The Admiral**

The banshee swooped in and landed softly in the small empty docking bay. The Spartan hopped out. A light snowfall was coming down on the tattered ship.

"The Vendetta IV's fusion reactors are still powered up. If we get to the bridge, we can set these to detonate. We will nee the Admiral or Captain to override the fail-safes in order to do so though. That should be a big enough explosion."

"You got it." The Spartan said walking through the airlock doors.

He found himself in a hallway. He went right. The hall went through a glass door, turned, and went through another door. Dead marines' corpses lay scattered around the hallway. After that were a few portable plasma shields.

The Spartan picked up an assault rifle and tucked his pistol away. Up behind the shield were two elites and four grunts, all of which wore silver armor.

"Must be special forces." The Spartan said to himself.

One grunt held a fuel rod gun. The same weapon a hunter had, although modified so that the grunt could carry it like a human grenade launcher. He picked up ammo for his assault rifle. He fired and took down the grunt with the fuel rod gun. In three seconds, the fail-safe on the gun went off and the gun exploded. The other three grunts and one of the elites were killed. The Spartan rushed the other elite and fired. While its shield weakened, it threw a plasma grenade at him. He jumped to the side and it stuck to the wall behind him.

He went forward and kept his finger pulling the trigger. The grenade exploded behind him. The elite managed to fire a few shots before its shield collapsed and he was hit with slugs. The elite screamed and fell over while still shooting.

The Spartan's shield recharged the little energy it lost. He walked further down the hallway. It came to a small room that had two hallways branching off to the left and to the right. The room had flashing red lights going off. The door to the right was sealed.

The Spartan then continued down the left corridor. Ahead of him it turned. A grunt came running around the corner with a fuel rod gun. He fired a few shots to take it down. He then stepped back as the fail-safe exploded. He then turned the corner and killed another grunt that came at him. An elite that was there threw a plasma grenade. The Spartan rolled to the side and stood to one knee. The grenade stuck to the floor where he just stood.

He threw a plasma grenade as well. It attached to the elite's chest. The other grenade exploded. The elite roared and began running toward him. He fired at it as he ran backward. The grenade blew and the body parts flew. He walked past the crippled corpse and on down the hallway. At the end, he found marines holding off a group of elites at the ramp to the bridge floor.

Sergeant Green was with them!

"Sergeant!" The Spartan addressed him.

The Sergeant stopped firing and turned around.

"Hello Colonel, nice to see you sir." He said standing and saluting.

The Spartan saluted in return.

"It's been a while. You seem to have recovered from your injuries quite well." A plasma blast whizzed past the Spartan's head.

"Yes thanks to you sir."

"So it looks like you could use some help Sergeant Green." The Spartan said looking up at an elite that was firing down.

"Yes, these elites are blocking us from getting to gate thirteen, where Lieutenant Jackson and his squad are holding off more of them." He replied.

"Do you know if Admiral Loran or Captain Kenton are still alive?"

"I doubt it sir, hunters and these huge things called brutes attacked the bridge."

"I hope he's alright." Said Sheeda.

"We lost contact with him over two hours ago." The Sergeant finished.

"Okay, we'll get to the Lieutenant, and then make our way to the bridge." The Spartan said.

"You got it sir, but we better hurry." Replied Green.

There were only four other marines besides the Sergeant and were about six elites. A plasma blast struck the Spartan in the head. His yellow shield surrounded him. He took a plasma grenade and threw it at the elite. It stuck on its foot.

The elite shook its foot wildly but the grenade exploded before it could get it off. Another marine threw a frag grenade up. It hit the ceiling and bounced back down on the floor above them. It exploded and the Spartan listened to the two elites scream.

"Come on!" Ordered the Spartan running up the ramp.

Green and his marines followed him to the top. An elite popped out from behind a corner while the Spartan and the marines were focused on another. The elite punched a marine across the face. He stumbled and fell off the landing. He landed hard on his back and didn't move after that.

The elite they were firing at fell. They then turned their attention toward the other elite and shot at it. It fired back and dropped a marine. Its shield went quickly and it was soon lying on the ground after that.

The last elite threw a plasma grenade that stuck to the chest of another marine. The Spartan, Green, and the last marine ran as it exploded, killing the helpless man. The elite then fired its plasma rifle killing the other marine. The Spartan and the Sergeant fired their assault rifles until it was dead.

They then walked down the hall until they reached gate thirteen's double doors. They hissed and slid open. Dead elites lay scattered across the ground, with a few hunters lying among them.

There was only one elite left standing and it didn't stay that way for long as Smith pumped it full of shotgun pellets.

"Officer on the deck!" The Lieutenant said saluting the Colonel.

The Spartan and the Sergeant saluted back.

"As you were Lieutenant." The Spartan said. "Glad to see you made it."

"Same here. Where can we follow you to sir?" Jackson asked.

"The bridge. Sheeda here is going to set the ships fusion reactors on self-destruct and then we're going to get the hell out of here. But first, we need the Admiral or Captain to override the security fail-safes, so we're heading toward the bridge and hoping he's there."

"Sounds like a plan to me sir. We better watch out for brutes though. Other marines have radioed in requesting back up against those things. All of the transmissions were from the bridge area." Jackson said.

"We'll hopefully we don't encounter any." The Spartan said.

"We should hurry if we have any hope of finding the Admiral alive." Sheeda said.

"You heard her. Blackrocks, assemble!" The Lieutenant said.

"I sure hope Admiral Loran is alive." Said Smith following the Lieutenant who was following the Spartan down the hall.

"We'll have to go through the cafeteria to get to the bridge." Sheeda said.

"I think I know my way around the ship." The Spartan replied.

"Just trying to help."

The Spartan turned the corner and two hunters stood in front of the cafeteria door.

"I'll handle this sir." Anderson said. He had a large bruise on his left cheekbone where the elite had hit him.

One hunter charged and swung up at him. Anderson leaned to the side and shot into its stomach with his pistols. The other hunter then ran at him. Just as the hunter swung, Anderson sidestepped and went around to its back. The hunter swung back down and almost hit the Spartan who didn't even flinch. Anderson fired into its back. The Spartan and the other marines moved as the hunter fell forward onto its face.

"Well done private." The Spartan said.

"Thank you sir."

As the Spartan and the marines entered the cafeteria, an elite and two grunts came from a door on the other side. The Spartan fired his assault rifle and killed the grunt with the fuel rod gun. The weapon exploded and killed the other grunt.

The elite flipped a table over and used it as cover. Jones stepped in and fired his grenade launcher. The table and elite blew to bits.

The Lieutenant then followed the Spartan across the corpse-scattered room and through the door at the far end. The Spartan walked down the hallway he had run through to escape just a few days ago.

"Be careful. My motion tracker is picking something up, ahead." Said Sheeda.

The Spartan walked through the automatic doors and entered the bridge. Dead marines were everywhere. A few hunters lay across the room along with some elites. Only one brute lay dead. It was slumped over the bridge's main controls with a hole through its head. Its grenade launcher was still clutched in its hand. The Spartan grabbed its shoulder and pulled it off. Its body landed with a thump on the floor. The marines scattered about the room checking for any hiding stragglers.

"Over here." Mathews said quietly.

The Spartan walked over to him. He stood with his sniper rifle pointed at a locker. The Spartan motioned for him to move away. Mathews stepped back. The Spartan opened the door quickly.

"Ahh!" Screamed the marine inside.

The marine raised his pistol and fired. The shot hit the Spartan in the head. The bullet ricocheted off his shield and shattered one of the viewport windows. The Spartan grabbed the marine's arm that held the weapon. He tightened his grip. The pistol fell from the marine's grasp and onto the floor.

"We're friends." The Spartan said calmly loosening his hand.

"Oh." The marine said.

"Where is Admiral Loran and Captain Kenton?" The Spartan let go.

"They left toward the armory. They said they'd be back, but then the brutes came. They killed everyone! They're all gone! I hid like a coward."

"Well your safe now." Mathews tried to reassure him.

"Ha! You go get your precious Admiral, I'm staying here." The marine said picking up his pistol.

"You can stay here if you want, I guess. We'll be back later if you change your mind." The Spartan said as his shield recharged.

Then a roar sounded just outside in the hallway.

"No! They'll never get me alive!" The marine put the barrel of the pistol in his mouth and fired. Blood and brains splattered on the back of the locker and the marine's body fell limp on the floor. Mathews clutched his stomach.

"Crazy bastard." Said Smith.

The Spartan looked at him then the door. Jones looked at the Lieutenant. Jackson looked at him, then motion toward the door. Jones nodded and got into a kneeling position with his grenade launcher pointed at the door.

After a moment, the door hissed and opened. Nothing came in. A bead of sweat ran down Jones's forehead. Then after a few heart pounding seconds came rushing in. Jones fired his weapon and it stopped the brute in its tracks.

Then two more came into the room. Jones fired again. The rocket propelled grenade soared in between them and exploded on the wall behind them.

"Take 'em down marines!" Yelled Lieutenant Jackson.

Jones took his grenade launcher and slammed it across one of the brute's faces. Brown then came and lit the creature on fire. Anderson then fired a few round into its head.

The Spartan, Jackson, and Green fired their assault rifles at the other one. Mathews fired his sniper rifle. The shot basted through the left part of its stomach and hit the wall behind it. Smith then came up to the side of it and fired his shotgun at point blank range at its head.

It fell over but was still alive. Smith put one foot on its chest and shot it in the head again. It twitched and died.

"Now that's the way to do it." The Lieutenant said.

"Nice work." Commented Green.

"We should head toward the armory and get the Admiral." The Spartan said.

"Okay let's saddle up and give 'em hell." The Lieutenant ordered.

The marines followed the Spartan out of the room and through the cafeteria. The Spartan walked down the hall and through a door. There was a hunter a little ways down the hall with its back faced to them. The Spartan threw a plasma grenade on its back.

It turned around and spotted them. It charged up its gun and just when it was about to fire, the grenade exploded. The hunter fell face first with a large crater in its back.

The Spartan continued down the hall and turned a corner. He then walked down and through a large automatic door. Three more hunters stood in front of another door down that hall about fifteen feet in front of them.

"That's the armory. The Admiral must be inside." Sheeda said.

"Jones, take 'em out." The Spartan ordered.

"Yes sir."

Jones fired his grenade launcher. The grenade hit and blew one of the hunters in the air. Jones then fired his second shot. Another hunter toppled over. Sergeant Green then threw a frag grenade at the last one. The grenade landed at the hunter's feet and exploded. The hunter fell over dead.

The Spartan walked to the armory door. It was sealed shut.

"Admiral, it's the Colonel. We're here to save you. If you're in there please open the door, sir." The Spartan said loudly.

After a moment, the door hissed and opened. Loran stood in the doorway with Kenton behind him.

"Glad to see you Colonel. Those hunters had us trapped in here. The most we could do was to lock down the door." Admiral Loran said.

"We need you on the bridge sir." We've got a plan to destroy this ring." The Spartan replied.

"What do you have in mind Colonel?"

"Sounds good to me." Said the Admiral as he led the way toward the bridge.

"The closest docking bay would be Gate Nine. There should still be a cruiser docked there. That'll be are quickest way out." Sheeda said.

The Admiral entered the bridge and went straight to the main controls. After bypassing the security systems, the Spartan reinserted Sheeda's holocard into the ships controls. From there she set the self-destruct delay time for twenty minutes.

"That's as long as I can get the timer to go." She said.

"That'll be enough time, we'll have to hurry though." The Captain said.

The Spartan pulled Sheeda out and put her back into his helmet.

"Let's move marines! Gate Nine's your destination!" Admiral Loran said.

He then walked out of the bridge and down the hall. The Spartan and the other marines followed close behind.

"We made it." Sheeda said as they came to gate nine's double doors. "We've got six minutes left."

The Admiral went through the door. The Spartan followed. Five hunters were standing in front of the cruiser's ramp. Three brutes came out from behind it. A dead marine lay on the ground at the Spartan's feet. A grenade launcher was next to him. He dropped his assault rifle and picked it up. Jones fired his and killed a hunter. The Admiral, Captain, and Anderson fired their pistols at one of the brutes. It wasn't affected as the bullets tore into its body.

One of the brutes fired its grenade launcher. The Spartan sidestepped quickly and the shot went through the open door and exploded on the hallway wall.

Mathews fired his sniper rifle and got a brute through the head. It toppled over forward. The Spartan fired and killed two more hunters. One of the other hunters fired. The shot hit in front of Brown and Smith. They fell over on their backs. Then shielded themselves from the bits of concrete that went flying.

Anderson shot down another hunter. The two last brutes ran at them. The Spartan fired his last shot. It hit the brute in the chest. Its body blew into chunks. Brown then fired his flamethrower at the other one while Smith began shooting it with his shotgun. The Spartan dropped the empty grenade launcher picked his assault rifle back up. the Captain shot the last hunter in its stomach as it ran toward him. It fell over motionless.

The Spartan then fired his whole clip at the brute. The Admiral then put a bullet through its head.

"We should hurry!" Sheeda said.

All of the soldiers went up the ramp and into the ship. They then went into the bridge. The Admiral got into the pilot seat and fired up the engines while the Captain got into the co-pilot's seat. The Admiral flew it out of the docking bay.

The cruiser flew out of the halo's atmosphere and into space. The ring world exploded behind them causing the whole ship to shake violently. As the ship calmed and smoothed out the marines let out a sigh of relief.


	11. Brute Strength

**Brute Strength**

"Good job sir." The Spartan said to the Admiral.

"It's not over! Two Covenant cruisers are coming in at attack speed!" Replied Admiral Loran.

"Can't we just jump to hyperspace and loose them?" Lieutenant Jackson asked.

"No, there's no time! Without following the proper procedure we might crash into a star!" The Captain said.

"They've just released their boarding parties." Said Mathews who had gotten onto one of the controls.

"We're going to have to fight our way out of this." Sheeda said.

"Well let them come. They're not going to get me without a fight." The Spartan said.

The boarding pods closed in on the human ship. The Admiral pushed its engines as hard as they could go. The cruiser shook with the force of the twinjets.

"Their still gaining on us!" Said the Captain.

"She's going as fast as she can!" The Admiral replied.

The boarding pods attached to the ship's exterior doors. After the Covenant broke the doors down the brutes entered the vessel.

"They're in!" Said Mathews.

He then stood from his chair and picked up his sniper rifle.

"Brown, Smith! Hold them off at the hallway!" The Colonel ordered.

"Yes, sir!" They said in unison.

They opened the door and waited. The door at the other end shook. It dented and banged. It fell and a brute came in.

"Come on in you bastard!" Brown said firing his flamethrower.

Smith began firing down the hall. The brute fell and another came in. It fired its grenade launcher. It exploded and Brown fell to the ground with the flamethrower's gas tank exploding as well. Smith's leg was blown off and he fell to the ground screaming. Blood squirted out of his stump and made puddle on the floor.

The Brute came in. Smith cocked his shotgun and fired. The pellets slammed into its chest. The brute leaned down and grabbed him by the neck. The brute lifted Smith eye level to him. Smith spit blood in its face.

"See you in hell mother f-" Smith was cut off as the brute snapped his neck and dropped him. His limp body landed hard.

Mathews shot it through the head and it fell over backward.

"Sergeant, Anderson! Get on that door!" The Spartan said firing his assault rifle as another brute entered.

The Captain and Admiral stood from their chairs and cocked their pistols. Another brute came in followed by another. A brute shot its grenade launcher and it exploded at Jones' feet. As he fell, he fired his grenade launcher. The blast exploded on the ceiling. His body was completely unrecognizable.

The Spartan threw a frag grenade into the doorway. He heard a brute scream in pain. Mathews fired and got a brute in the chest. It grabbed the barrel of his gun and bent it upwards. He dropped it and punched the brute in the face. The brute laughed as it took Mathews' head between it hands and crushed his skull. Brains oozed on the ground.

The Spartan hit the brute in the back of its neck with his gun. It stumbled forward and turned around. The Spartan then shot his clip into the brute's head. It fell over. Another brute punched Anderson in the face. Blood flew from his mouth as well as a few teeth as he fell to the ground. The brute then stomped on his head. The Sergeant fired his assault rifle at the brute. It roared and charged him. He ducked as it swung at his head. He took the butt end of the gun and hit it in the face.

It grabbed the weapon from his hands and threw it. It then punched him in the stomach. He groaned and fell to his knees while holding his gut. The Captain then came up behind the brute and shot it in the back of the head. It crashed to the ground.

Two more brutes came rushing in. One fired its grenade launcher. The blast exploded next to Green and Kenton. The Captain fell without the lower half of his body. The Spartan threw a plasma grenade and it stuck to a brute's chest. It pulled it off and just as it was about to throw it, the grenade exploded and killed it.

Three more brutes entered the bridge. Jackson shot a whole clip of assault rifle rounds into a brute's chest. It grabbed him by the neck and threw him across the room. He hit the main control panel and landed on the floor. The brute then fired a grenade at him to ensure his death.

Another was taken down as Loran shot it in the forehead. A brute fired its grenade launcher and killed the Admiral.

"Admiral!" Yelled Sheeda.

The Spartan threw another frag grenade. The brutes moved as it exploded. A brute swung at his head. He ducked and grabbed the creature's head. He then snapped its neck. Another fired its grenade launcher. The Spartan jumped forward and rolled. The grenade exploded and the Spartan stopped right in front of the beast. He punched it in the groin. It whimpered and fell to its knees. The Spartan picked up Anderson's pistols and shot it in the head.

He then rolled backward as one of the other brutes came at him. He got to one knee and fired all of the bullets except one into its stomach. He then shot himself with the last shot making his shields go up. He got a lot on his right fist. The brute was right in front of him. He stood and put his fist straight through the brute's face. He retracted his hand and the brute's body fell over.

Another brute them came and punched him in the face. His visor shattered and his helmet flew from his head. He landed on his back and slid. He quickly got to one knee. His shield was completely gone. The brute grinned. The Spartan spit blood from his mouth and stood. He ran at the brute and punched it in the stomach. He then went to punch it in the face but it grabbed his arm. It then picked him up by the neck and released his arm. He sat suspended in the air for a few seconds.

He then took two of his fingers and jabbed them into the brute's neck. It dropped him and he landed on his feet then fell on his back. The brute grabbed its neck and gasped for air. It fell to its knees. The Spartan stood on his hands and knees and watched the brute suffocate. It was dying slowly, just the way the Spartan wanted it to. He stood and kicked it in its head. It fell over and didn't move.

The room was filled with death. Brutes and marines lay dead across the floor. But the Spartan then heard a cough. He wiped the blood from his mouth and walked toward the sound. The ship shook as it got hit with a Covenant gun. Green lay on the ground holding his stomach. Sparks exploded from the ceiling.

The Spartan stood the Sergeant against the co-pilot's seat. He coughed again.

"I thought I saw you get killed." The Spartan said.

"Colonel, we should hurry up and get out of here." Sheeda said.

"No cough I just got hit in the stomach. Couldn't breath for a few, you know sir." Green replied. "Then that grenade exploded and I couldn't hear a thing."

"Okay well we're leaving." The Spartan said leaving the Sergeant's side and getting into the pilot's seat.

He shoved Sheeda into the control panel.

"Alright, Sheeda get us out of here."

"Yes, sir." She said working the coordinates. "The Covenant cruisers are almost in range to get us with their tracker beams."

"Well hurry then!" The Spartan said irritated.

"There we go."

The tattered ship took off in to hyperspace leaving the Covenant cruisers far behind in distance and speed. The Spartan and Sergeant Green were off toward a place named Earth. A place they called home.


End file.
